Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine Releases Statement On Sentencing Of Timothy Banowetz

Edwardsville— Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today that Timothy Banowetz, 30, of Wentzville, Mo., has been sentenced to 70 years for the January 2020 murder of Randy Gori. The sentence was handed down by Madison County Circuit Judge Kyle Napp. Mr. Banowetz must serve at least 65 years of that sentence, and so will be imprisoned until he is at least 93 years old.

Banowetz previously pled guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery in October.

“No sentence can heal the wounds such a cruel and heartless crime has caused to friends and family alike, but at least with this sentence we can all obtain a certain closure in knowing that Randy Gori’s murderer will, almost certainly, never see the light of day as a free man again,” Haine said. “All of our prayers remain with the Gori family who have shown such courage and resilience in the midst of this tragic situation, and now deserve privacy and respect so they can continue the healing process.”

In the evening of January 4, 2020, police found Gori dead at his rural Edwardsville home. The state’s evidence showed that Banowetz had bound Gori and his two minor children before stabbing Gori and fleeing the premise with a vehicle and cash. Banowetz was apprehended the next morning in a wooded area near Gori’s home in one of Gori’s vehicles.

Haine also expressed thanks to the team of prosecutors and investigators who worked on the case.

“I’m incredibly appreciative of the hard work of Assistant States Attorneys Jacob Harlow and Lauren Maricle as well as the members of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Edwardsville Police Department, and Major Case Squad for their efforts in investigating and prosecuting this case,” Haine said. “I’m also appreciative of Judge Napp for her fair, impartial, and professional proceedings throughout this case.”